Location and proximity beacon technology to enhance privacy and security

Abstract

Systems and methods may provide for obtaining a seed value from a location on a beacon device, using the seed value to initiate generation of a pseudo random number (PRN) tree having time-dependent branches, and sending a beacon signal based on the PRN tree and a timing schedule that corresponds to the time-dependent branches. Additionally, a PRN may be received, via an out-of-band link, at an observation device, wherein the PRN is associated with a particular time period. In one example, the PRN may be used by the observation device to generate a subset of a PRN number tree that corresponds to the particular time period. The observation device may also conduct a proximity determination of whether a detected beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the PRN tree.

We claim: 
     
       1. A beacon device comprising:
 a location to store a seed value; 
 a seed retriever coupled to the location, the seed retriever to obtain the seed value from the location; 
 a tree generator coupled to the seed retriever, the tree generator to use the seed value to initiate generation of a pseudo random number tree having time-dependent branches; and 
 a transmitter coupled to the tree generator, the transmitter to send a beacon signal based on the pseudo random number tree and a timing schedule that corresponds to the time-dependent branches, 
 wherein the beacon device further includes a security component to determine one or more signature values for one or more leaves of the pseudo random number tree based on a private key, and the transmitter is to send the one or more signature values. 
 
     
     
       2. The beacon device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the time-dependent branches of the pseudo random number tree is to be associated with one of a particular year, a particular day, a particular hour, a particular minute, a particular second or a particular fraction of a second. 
     
     
       3. The beacon device of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is to send one or more leaves of the pseudo random number tree. 
     
     
       4. The beacon device of  claim 1 , wherein the location further includes the private key. 
     
     
       5. The beacon device of  claim 1 , wherein the seed value is a true random number. 
     
     
       6. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by a beacon device, cause the beacon device to:
 obtain a seed value from a location on the beacon device; 
 use the seed value to initiate generation of a pseudo random number tree having time-dependent branches; 
 send a beacon signal based on the pseudo random number tree and a timing schedule that corresponds to the time-dependent branches; 
 determine one or more signature values for one or more leaves of the pseudo random number tree based on a private key; and 
 send the one or more signature values. 
 
     
     
       7. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the time-dependent branches of the pseudo random number tree is to be associated with one of a particular year, a particular day, a particular hour, a particular minute, a particular second or a particular fraction of a second. 
     
     
       8. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beacon device to send one or more leaves of the pseudo random number tree. 
     
     
       9. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the beacon device to obtain the private key from the location on the beacon device. 
     
     
       10. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the seed value is to be a true random number. 
     
     
       11. An observation device comprising:
 an authorization controller to receive, via an out-of-band link, a pseudo random number associated with a particular time period; 
 a partial tree generator coupled to the authorization controller, the partial tree generator to use the pseudo random number to generate a subset of a pseudo random number tree that corresponds to the particular time period; and 
 a proximity verifier coupled to the tree generator, the proximity verifier to conduct a proximity determination of whether a detected beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree, 
 wherein the proximity verifier is to report that a mobile source of the beacon signal traveled within proximity of the observation device during the particular time period if the proximity determination indicates that the beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree. 
 
     
     
       12. The observation device of  claim 11 , wherein one or more of the time-dependent branches is to be associated with one of a particular year, a particular day, a particular hour, a particular minute, a particular second or a particular fraction of a second. 
     
     
       13. The observation device of  claim 11 , further including a signature verifier to use a public key associated with a beacon device to verify a digital signature as the beacon signal. 
     
     
       14. The observation device of  claim 11 , wherein the observation device is a mobile observation device, and wherein the proximity verifier is to report that the mobile observation device traveled within proximity of a source of the beacon signal during the particular time period if the proximity determination indicates that the beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree. 
     
     
       15. The observation device of  claim 11 , wherein an indication of the particular time period is to be received along with the pseudo random number. 
     
     
       16. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by an observation device, cause the observation device to:
 receive, via an out-of-band link, a pseudo random number associated with a particular time period; 
 use the pseudo random number to generate a subset of a pseudo random number tree that corresponds to the particular time period; and 
 conduct a proximity determination of whether a detected beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree, 
 wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the observation device to report that a mobile source of the beacon signal traveled within proximity of the observation device during the particular time period if the proximity determination indicates that the beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree. 
 
     
     
       17. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein one or more of the time-dependent branches is to be associated with one of a particular year, a particular day, a particular hour, a particular minute, a particular second or a particular fraction of a second. 
     
     
       18. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the observation device to use a public key associated with a beacon device to verify a digital signature as the beacon signal. 
     
     
       19. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the observation device is to be a mobile observation device, and wherein the instructions,
 when executed, cause the observation device to report that the mobile observation device traveled within proximity of a source of the beacon signal during the particular time period if the proximity determination indicates that the beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree. 
 
     
     
       20. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein an indication of the particular time period is to be received along with the pseudo random number.